An Open Letter to Andrew White

Andrew White is a Ruling Elder in a PCA church in Houston, Texas. He is also running for Governor of Texas. He has recently stated his full support for Roe V. Wade the 1973 Supreme Court ruling which made laws prohibiting abortion unconstitutional. In an interview aired on Texas Public Radio Mr. White stated, "I support Roe v. Wade 100%, and it's the law of the land, we just celebrated the 45 year anniversary of that." He also said that as governor “I'll veto any of this legislation that's coming out that limits a woman's right to choose.” You may hear those comments beginning at the 8:20 mark in the audio.

Dear Mr. White,

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You and I have several things in common. We both love the state of Texas. I was born and raised in Houston. You are a ruling elder in a PCA church. I am a Teaching Elder in the same denomination. We both profess faith in Jesus Christ. For this I rejoice. In fact it is on the basis of our brotherhood in Christ that I write to you.

I understand that you are running for Governor of the state of Texas. What a tremendous responsibility that would be should you be elected. While Christians will certainly continue to be marginalized because of our belief in the authority of God’s Word and our love for Christ and his gospel I trust that Christians will continue to seek ways to exercise influence in public life including running for elected office.

Unfortunately, based upon your public statements it is clear that your Christian convictions will have no bearing on your role as Governor of Texas should you win. I gather this from your own words in a recent interview: "My personal faith is personal to me, but I will not let it interfere with how I govern."

How is it desirable for a Christian to believe that his or her faith convictions have no place in the public square? And how is it even possible? If you are indeed a Christian, how is it possible for you to govern a state as though you were not?

I was deeply troubled to hear of your position on abortion. You have pledged to give full support to abortion. Indeed your position on abortion seems to be one of celebration. In an interview on Texas Public radio you stated:

"I support Roe v. Wade 100%, and it's the law of the land, we just celebrated the 45 year anniversary of that." And “I'll veto any of this legislation that's coming out that limits a woman's right to choose.”

You state that you hold to the Joe Biden position of being personally opposed to abortion while favoring its continued practice.

My question is on what basis do you personally oppose abortion? The only reason to oppose abortion is if it is indeed the taking of an innocent human life. And since abortion is indeed the taking of an innocent human life (the only reason for your personal opposition) then how can you support its continued legality? That sort of position collapses under the weight of its own moral contradictions.

Since you are a Christian and ruling elder in a PCA church I will proceed with the assumption that Scripture shapes your thinking. I assume as well that our denominational standards are also of great importance to you. God’s Word has no notion of life in the womb being anything other than fully human; the creation of God. The following is a small sampling from the Scriptures and Christian history:

The Psalms

The Psalmist refers to children in the womb as “treasure”:

“You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.” (Ps. 17:14)

The Psalmist reflects on God’s creative and wonderful work in the womb: 

For you formed my inward parts;

            you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

   I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

           Wonderful are your works;

            my soul knows it very well.

   My frame was not hidden from you,

           when I was being made in secret,

            intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

   Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

            in your book were written, every one of them,

            the days that were formed for me,

            when as yet there was none of them. (Ps. 139:13-16)

The Prophets

“Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.”  (Isaiah 44:2)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

Mary and Elizabeth

In the first chapter of his gospel, Luke describes an encounter between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth when they were both pregnant. Mary was carrying in her womb the miraculously conceived Messiah and Elizabeth was carrying the one who would come to be known as John the Baptist. The encounter highlights the fact that God’s Word assumes the full humanity of children in the womb:

And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Lk. 1:41-45)

Christian History

Perhaps you have read about the Christian practice in the first few centuries of the church of rescuing babies left abandoned to die under the cruelty of the elements. So common were these rescues that they captured the attention of the upper echelons of Roman government. This practice of rescuing the weak and vulnerable was based on those Christian’s biblical convictions. They learned from God’s word that they must try to rescue those who were being led away to destruction.

The Presbyterian Church In America

The Westminster Larger Catechism (part of the doctrinal standards you and I have taken sacred vows to uphold) states the following:

Q. 136. What are the sins forbidden in the sixth commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the sixth commandment are, all taking away the life of ourselves, or of others, except in case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense; the neglecting or withdrawing the lawful and necessary means of preservation of life; sinful anger, hatred, envy, desire of revenge; all excessive passions, distracting cares; immoderate use of meat, drink, labor, and recreations; provoking words, oppression, quarreling, striking, wounding, and whatsoever else tends to the destruction of the life of any.

There is also the report from an ad interim committee on abortion from our denomination which clearly states opposition to the practice of destroying life in the womb.

I trust that you are aware of the staggering number of abortions performed in the United States since the passage of Roe V. Wade. We have crossed the 60 million mark. Compare that to the number of US military killed in action in all combined wars: about 2.8 million. There is no human slaughter in history that can compare to that which was made possible through Roe V. Wade. It most certainly is not something to celebrate.

I wonder also if you are aware of the genocidal feature of Roe v Wade among African Americans. Since, by your own words we “celebrate” the anniversary Roe V Wade I assume you are informed enough to know that almost 2,000 black babies are aborted every day in the United States. Since the passage of Roe V. Wade some 16 million black babies have been aborted in our nation. The numbers are appalling.  

In 1935 the Nuremburg Laws essentially excluded Jews from German society. They were dehumanized; called lesser persons. This dehumanization made possible the Nazi program of genocide. Abortion is justified on the same grounds. The most vulnerable members of the human family – the unborn – have been dehumanized. Since the claim that unborn children are not human is no longer supportable on scientific grounds, abortion proponents now label the pre-born “lesser humans.” Surely you do not want to add your voice of approval to such a moral catastrophe.

In light of all this, how do you justify your current position on the slaughter of the unborn? How is it that you join in celebrating the anniversary of Roe V. Wade? How can you promise to use all your powers as Governor to uphold and defend the practice of abortion?

I am praying for you Mr. White. I am praying that the Lord will open your eyes and grant you repentance from you current views. I am praying that, should you harden your heart and maintain your current position, your church and presbytery will do the right thing and exercise proper discipline in your life. It is not too late. So long as you have breath there is time to repudiate your current views. I pray you do.

Yours in Christ,

Todd Pruitt

Lead Pastor

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Harrisonburg, VA